Rangers need to pay millions to sack Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his assistants
After dropping even more points during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with St Mirren, huge pressure is building on Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Rangers.
The Dutchman watched hopelessly as the gap between Rangers and Celtic at the top of the table extended to nine points on Saturday.
Gers endured an extremely poor Champions League campaign and their struggles are now transferring to the Premiership. The sack is looming over Van Bronckhorst’s head, but Jordan Campbell has revealed how much it’d put Rangers back if they decided to pull the trigger.
“Rangers cannot afford weeks of being in limbo and the league is now gone. Even winning the two remaining cup competitions would not be classed as a successful season as the league takes precedent,” said Campbell on The Athletic website (13 November).
“The difficulty the Rangers board face is that, with budgets tight and the aim to get the finances on an even keel every year, sacking Van Bronckhorst, his assistants Roy Makaay and Dave Vos, as well as first-team coach Ceri Bowley and fitness coach Arno Phillips, would cost millions in compensation.
“That is one expense, but so could be recruiting a new manager if they are in a job.
“Even if they are not, any replacement would arrive with ambitions to add to the squad in January. Yet there is not going to be masses of money awaiting them.”
No better time
Things seem to get worse and worse for Rangers as the weeks tick on. Players look deflated and unmotivated under Van Bronckhorst, and nothing the Dutchman does seems to have an impact on results or performances.
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that his time at Ibrox is up and fans, players and pundits all know it. The board likely know it too but are being hesitant over fees and compensation.
But after coughing up a shoestring budget in the summer the least they can do is show some ambition in sacking Van Bronckhorst and finding a new manager over the World Cup break.
The club posted their profits last week and finances are healthy – not enough for a mass spending spree in January – but certainly enough to sack Van Bronckhorst and give Rangers a chance in the second half of the season.
Waiting will only slow the inevitable, and a new manager will appreciate being given the World Cup break to work with the squad and introduce his playing style.
There are no excuses.
In other Rangers news, the Gers are readying a £5million bid to sign a new forward in January.